The Answer-Rebuild-
by BloodBoredom
Summary: Life after the Dark Hour, after Gekkoukan, has left Aigis with a feeling of emptiness. Can the reappearance of a certain elevator attendant be the coming of a new Journey? One where the boy finds a different fate awaiting him?
1. It Begins

-_The Answer: Rebuild-_

_A blonde woman was at a coffee shop on a sunny afternoon, the streets were quiet and the girl sighed deeply.  
_

"Yukari-san and Fuuka-san should have been here 17.4662 minutes ago," the blonde made a rather precise measurement of her friends' tardiness, "what on earth could be keeping them this preoccupied."

_The blonde rubbed the bridge of her nose in irritation._

_RIING!  
_

"Hello Aigis?" the voice from the other side of the phone spoke.

"Yes Yukari-san?" the blonde replied.

"Fuuka and I won't be able to make it to the coffee shop today," the woman said regretfully.

"Understood," Aigis answered curtly, "may I ask as to why you won't be here then?"

"It's college Aigis, lots of stuff came up about our projects and we won't be able to just blitz all of them at once," the brunette on the other side groaned.

"Very well, I wish you good luck and I hope to see you two some other time," the blonde answered.

"We're really sorry Aigis," Yukari apologized.

"I understand how important school is Yukari-san, don't worry yourselves about me and take care," Aigis said lastly before ending the call.

_Without anyone to wait for at the coffee shop, the blonde opted to do some light shopping at the mall before leaving for her dorm._

"Paulownia Mall still hasn't changed since all this time," the blonde smirked, "I remember how **he** tried to teach me about the way that humans went about in places like this."

_After graduating from Gekkoukan, Aigis, Fuuka and Yukari enrolled in the same college not too far from Tatsumi Port Island. The girls would meet up whenever they could in spite of the busy schedules and go have coffee or shop. Today was not one of those days.  
_

"*sigh* Those two must have it rougher than I do," the mechanical maiden contemplated her decision to pursue mechatronics engineering while Yamagishi and Takeba took up courses and activities that ate up most of their free time.

_Factoring in Aigis' ability to simply record lectures and cross reference them with any research she might perform at a later time not to mention the breakthroughs not quite made public by the Kirijo did mark a great difference between the study habits of the blonde and the other two girls.  
_

"Of course such a thing could only be expected as the realistic outcome," the mechanical maiden mused.

_Thinking that she might as well enjoy her time at the mall, Aigis goes to Power Records where she sees a familiar face._

"Hey!" the brown-haired clerk behind the counter called the girl's attention, "You're Aigis right?"

_The mechanical maiden looks at the man's direction._

"Ah, Kenji, I had no idea you worked here," the blonde answered honestly.

"Well, only part time," the boy rubbed the back of his head, "gotta have spare cash so I can enjoy the college dream."

"I see, so what else have you been doing?" Aigis tilted her head.

"Same old, same old," the Magician Arcana shrugged.

"Does that include you chasing after that young teacher of yours," another clerk laughingly said from the back room.

"Hey shut up!" Kenji yelled as his face turned a cherry red.

"Some things never change," Aigis thought before giving a slight chuckle.

_Aigis buys a few albums before leaving the record shop._

"What else should I do?" the mechanical maiden raises her index finger under her chin.

_As if answering her question, a familiar voice calls for the blonde's attention._

"Yo Ai-chan!" a boisterous laugh accompanied the nickname.

"Junpei-kun," Aigis greets her friend, "are you here alone?"

"Nah, I brought Chidori out," Junpei looked at the redhead to his right.

"Hmph," the goth was giving the boy the could shoulder.

"Hey, Ai-chan was one of my friends who helped you," the hatted one defended.

"Oh," Chidori replied gloomily, "sorry, my memory is still coming back to me."

"Do not worry," the blonde waved it off, "I don't offend easily."

"Remember when **_he_ **would just spend his time staring at the wall beside the stairs?" Junpei laughed before mentally kicking himself in the nuts, "Sorry."

"It is alright," Aigis comforted the lad, "I have some fond memories of those times."

"Ah," the redhead slumped on the boy's shoulder.

"Are you unwell?" the mechanical maiden moved to check on the girl, "her temperature is fine and her vitals are stable."

"She gets like that after a while," Junpei said with a sullen expression, "although its been happening less frequently. Still, I have to bring her back to the hospital now."

"Very well," Aigis nodded, "it was nice seeing you two."

"..." Chidori smiled weakly.

"Later Ai-chan," the hatted one said as he exercised great caution at handling the goth.

_"Junpei-kun has given me an idea if only to pique my curiosity," the blonde thought to herself._

_With that thought, Aigis began walking towards the area where the Door to the Velvet Room was once found.  
_

"It's still here..." the mechanical maiden said, lost in thought.

"Of course," a familiar voice stated matter-of-factly, "life is but an endless Journey."

"Elizabeth?" Aigis identified.

"I'm glad you remember me, do please come in," the attendant invited.

_Aigis stepped inside the Velvet Door, her body vanishing from Paulownia Mall._

"It looks different now," the blonde commented.

_The once elevator with the quirky pair was now messy and filled with gears, springs and computers with various code on the screens._

"The room looks different," the blonde stated the obvious, "where is Igor?"

"The master has taken a leave of absence and has left me in charge of the Room," Elizabeth informed, "as to your first question, the Room takes the shape of the guest's Journey."

"I see now," Aigis thought out, "the way the elevator signified our rising to the moon to meet Nyx and Erebus."

"That is correct," the cat-eyed attendant snapped her fingers, "now the reason I brought you here is because of **_him_**."

"You have found a way of bringing him back?" the mechanical maiden asked, dumbstruck.

"No," Elizabeth smirked, "I have succeeded."

_With those words, the attendant took a single item from her purse._

"A mask?" the blonde gave a quizzical look.

"This is the answer," the Velvet Room's occupant ran her free hand through the mask.

_As if by magic, the mask was replaced by a single card...The Fool._

"His wildcard, his _soul,_" Aigis understood fully, "but his body..."

"Well that's why I'm looking at the person studying mechatronics engineering now aren't I?" Elizabeth asked sarcastically.

"You can't possibly mean what I think you're implying," emotion filled the mechanical maiden's voice.

"Of course," the Velvet-clad woman offered her hand out to Aigis, "we can rebuild him."

_-End-_

AN: Depending on whether this gets a good review or not, I may write more. Some may notice that this is more or less a reverse of Lesser Ninja's latest fic and to be honest the idea did come to me while reading it, so if anyone has a problem with that, I'll take this story down.


	2. Day 1

-_The Answer: Rebuild-_

_italics: thoughts_

regular font: dialogue

_Day 1  
_

_The prospect of bringing back **the boy **sent a chill down Aigis' mechanical spine. On one hand, **he** would be able to enjoy the peace **he** had given his life for. On the other hand, things would be different from when **he** was alive. Besides this, Aigis was also afraid, what if she would go too far, would **he** see her in disgust? Would the others hate her?  
_

_"I don't have the time to ponder," Aigis thought, "even if I were to be cast aside, I would find solace in his life."  
_

_The thought made the mechanical maiden pause a little.  
_

_"Yes, just like before," the blonde recalled the beginning of her time with SEES, "I will stand at the sidelines once more if need be."  
_

"Aigis!" Yukari's voice echoed a little, "We're gonna be late!"

"I'm coming," the Anti-Shadow Weapon replied.

_Aigis quickly shuffled through the clutter that was her room, searching for her schoolbag._

"End log," the girl said briefly as a small light blinked on her HUD.

_Aigis decided that it was best to keep a personal record that she would review from time to time, in order to keep herself in check._

_"I wonder if they would stop me should they find out,"_ the blonde thought, _"it would be best that I keep it a secret."_

_The mechanical maiden descended the stairwell and was greeted by her two friends._

"Morning Aigis," Fuuka said with a smile.

"It isn't like you to be up late," Yukari spoke with concern, "anything wrong?"

"No, I am alright," Aigis said sincerely, _"though I am bothered a little by what I plan to do."_

"If you say so," the brunette didn't push her friend further.

"Do you guys have any exams coming up today?" the petite girl asked the other two.

"Ugh," Yukari groaned, "my nuisance class too."

"No," the blonde said calmly, "but I do have a presentation later."

"Yikes," Fuuka cringed, "school is getting to be worse than the Dark Hour."

_The three shared a hearty laugh as they traveled towards their college._

_-Later that Day-  
_

_The mechanical maiden had successfully given her presentation on the fine motor actions in robotics, although such a thing wasn't so difficult when she was in a class of seven students. Most of her peers envied her dedication and some boys from other courses had taken notice of the foreign looking girl.  
_

_"I should get started with the construction now," Aigis thought as she headed to her workshop.  
_

"Hey Aigis-san!" an unfamiliar boy struggled for air as he stopped in front of the girl.

"Do I know you?" the blonde raised an eyebrow.

"I-I'm one of Takeba-san's classmates, Anji Mito", the boy fixed his round glasses.

"I see," Aigis said clueless as to what was going to happen next.

"Um, I was wondering..." Anji said rubbing the back of his head, "if you wanted to hang out sometime, y'know, j-just you and me."

"No,"the blonde said coldly.

_The sound of breaking glass comically projected from the boy's chest as he fell to his knees._

"Gah," Anji was shocked at the heartless rejection.

"Thank you for offering though," Aigis smiled before leaving.

"Uh," the boy was dumbstruck before he could reply.

_Aigis recalled how Yukari taught her to reject unwanted advances without totally crushing the spirit of men...and some women._

"Where do these men come from?" the mechanical maiden pinched the bridge of her nose before walking away from the scene.

_Making sure that she remained unseen, the blonde quickly arrived at a secluded area in the forest with an inconspicuous shed. This was the workshop, Kirijo sponsored of course, where Aigis could store her spare parts as well as make any modifications that need be made. Thinking of the latter part, Aigis stared at the feet she had constructed for herself, recalling when Yukari, Fuuka and Mitsuru had to teach her how human women walked._

"I'll get started with these," the girl motioned for some spare hands and began making the necessary adjustments that they were **his **size, "**his **hands were always in those pockets."

_A long time passed..._

_-Later that evening-  
_

"You're home late," Yukari said with slight suspicion.

"I was at the workshop," Aigis replied honestly, "I had a little free time so I made a few modifications."

"I see," Takeba mentally scolded herself, sometimes she forgot that Aigis wasn't biologically human.

"Really?" Fuuka's eyes shone like a child in a candy store, "What kinds of modifications Aigis, I'm dying to know?"

_Aigis knew that Fuuka was a big technophile based on what the green-haired girl did for **Minato **during their time together, so the blonde did allocate some of her efforts to make her statement believable, in short, Aigis did not enjoy lying to her friends._

"Just some mobility issues I've been having," the blonde answered as she flexed her arm with improved dexterity, "and I've managed to suppress some of the noise my movements make."

"Wow, you're practically indistinguishable from humans now," the petite girl complimented.

_Yukari threw a deathly glare at the girl, but Fuuka was to engrossed in her conversation with the mechanical maiden.  
_

"Yes," Aigis smiled, "I guess this is what I could have accomplished if I were built for peaceful purposes."

_Aigis and Fuuka spent the next few hours talking about technology, Yukari eventually fell asleep on the sofa..._

"Hey, Yukari-chan is asleep," the technophile slowly looked at her wristwatch, "I can't believe we stayed up this late!"

"Your schedule tomorrow shows that you have an 8:00 class," Aigis scanned her records, "it would be best if we called it a night."

"Right, could you help me bring Yukari-chan to the room Aigis?" Fuuka requested.

"Understood," the blonde carried her sleeping friend, bridal style and deposited her in her room on the second floor.

"G'night Aigis," the petite girl said sleepily.

"Good night you two," the mechanical maiden walked to her recharging station on the other end of the spacious dorm room.

_"I have to thank Mitsuru-senpai for having R&D update my maintenance equipment to a more manageable size" Aigis thought as she gazed at her 'bed' which was considerably smaller than what she had back when the team was exploring Tartarus._

_"I wonder if I'll see **him **tonight," the blonde wondered before closing her eyes.  
_

_-End-  
_

__AN: Still hoping for some review because I really have no idea how long this fic is gonna take...It's mostly to get my imagination back up because I'm at a stump for Fate/Distortion.


	3. Day 2

-_The Answer: Rebuild-_

_italics: thoughts_

regular font: dialogue

_Day 2  
_

_It was early in the morning, the sun had yet to rise, a lone figure on a rooftop with piercing blue eyes, but stood in a trance like state.  
_

_"Is it even possible?" the figure asked herself, "Or have I gone mad and this would be a terrible dream?"  
_

_The blonde gazed at the world around her, hoping for an answer.  
_

_"Perhaps," Aigis thought, "**he **did what we called the impossible, so I should be able to as well."  
_

_The golden rays of the sun had slowly begun ascend from the east.  
_

_"The sunrise..." the mechanical maiden trailed off, "...is burning red."  
_

_"Tonight is when the Shadow Operatives meet," the blonde thought, "Naoto Shirogane will be joining in."  
_

_"I should keep my work to the minor aesthetic details today," Aigis decided, "it would be unwise to raise suspicion, especially from Shirogane-san."  
_

_"A new day begins," the girl gathered her resolve, "and there is much work to be done."  
_

_"End log," the blonde spoke as a light flickered in her HUD.  
_

_Elsewhere...  
_

_A large corporate office towered over the bustling city of Tokyo, men and women from all corners entered its doors. An exterior of shining glass that almost blinded onlookers. And a single sign atop the front entrance...  
_

_Kirijo Head Office.  
_

_The many, many men and women of this organization were both loyal and dedicated workers willing to head to the grave to protect company secrets. But, there were a few individuals that gave the very young and very beautiful president of the company, Mitsuru Kirijo, undue stress and after dealing with these people, the president would usually take time to relax. And that is what this fiery redhead planned on doing this morning.  
_

"Ah, it's nice to begin a workday without someone trying to ruin it," the lovely lady said as she reclined her chair and sipped her tea.

*Door opens*

"Ma'am," the secretary greeted as she walked in.

"Yes?" Mitsuru replied curtly.

"One of the board members was found in his condo..." the woman frowned.

"Is he dead?" the redhead asked.

"No, he was trying to sell company secrets to the Nanjo." the brunette continued.

"And?" the young Kirijo took interest.

"Nanjo turned him down and contacted our offices," the secretary finished.

"Send Nanjo a fruit basket," Mitsuru waved her hand, "I can't believe it, these men have served with my father since I was a child."

"Ma'am since seniority is no longer an issue," the brunette began to confess, "your late father, he kept this board because they were there when you're grandfather snapped, your dad didn't like them, and in a way, it shut these men up, don't feel guilty about doing what you have to do."

_Mitsuru gave the secretary her permission to leave before resuming her 'leisure time'._

"Hm, if only you could see me now **Minato-kun**," the redhead said, reminiscing about her time with SEES, "**you'd **be laughing at me right now."

"Ma'am," the secretary's voice projected from the speakers, "you have a meeting tonight at Paulownia Mall."

"Thank you," Mitsuru replied before shutting the intercom off, "I can't believe I almost forgot about _that._"

_Meanwhile..._

_A single chalkboard was completely filled with writing, an astounded and dumbstruck audience, eyes fixed at the sight of the lone, blonde figure immersed in her writing.  
_

"That is a functional logic algorithm that would suit the criteria given," Aigis reported calmly.

"Th-that's incredible Aigis!" a middle aged man wiped his glasses to enable a closer inspection, "I can honestly say that you are my most accomplished student."

"Thank you, professor," the mechanical maiden said before returning to her seat, _"I've only worked on the external parts of the hands, maybe I could finish them by tomorrow."_

"Class dismissed," the professor announced.

_The students carefully eyed the Anti-Shadow Weapon as she went ahead of them._

"Damn, brains and beauty," one of them sighed.

"We can't even keep up with her," another one groaned.

"I'd love to meet the guy with the stones to date her," a foreign student admitted.

_"These people are watching me," Aigis thought, "I have to move quickly then."  
_

_Slowly, the blonde picked up her pace, moving faster and faster until she left the school grounds.  
_

_"If I turn left, the forest trees should wipe my trail," the mechanical maiden zoomed towards the forest where her workshop was hidden.  
_

_Inspecting the area to assure that she wasn't followed, Aigis gave out a sigh of relief before punching the code that allowed entrance into her workshop._

"This may take some time," the girl thought aloud with some frustration, "years even."

_Aigis took great caution when she handled the glove-like hands she worked on, making sure they were in proper working condition. They were her first foray in customizing parts that were not for her own use.  
_

_Suffice to say, it was harder than the blonde thought it would be.  
_

"Ugh, Elizabeth never said that it would be easy," the mechanical maiden groaned as she blew a fuse on her left hand, "but I can't even begin to imagine how **he **feels being the seal."

_In spite of her 'injury', Aigis finishes most of her work on the hands..._

_Later that evening...  
_

_"I have thirty minutes to travel to the location," the blonde got up from her work, "I'll leave it like this for now."  
_

_The mechanical maiden finishes up on her day's work, heads to the door, arms the locks and makes her way to the designated meeting place.  
_

_-Chagall Cafe-  
_

_In a secluded part of the cafe, exclusive only to the most loyal and most wealthy of customers, sat four people who quietly sipped their coffee.  
_

"So where do we start?" a silverette said as he set his cup on the table.

"Why did you even agree to this?" the bluenette asked accusingly, "I thought you told my friends to stay out of this."

"I'm well aware of that Detective Shirogane," a redhead replied, "your friend didn't seem to think that he could and neither did you."

"Mitsuru-san," the group's blonde said, motors whirring quietly as her body processed the coffee, one of her spare time upgrades, "it is counter-productive for any of us to argue while our true enemy lies in wait."

"Aigis is correct," Naoto affirmed, "from my investigation, similar events have occurred globally."

_The eyes of the Shadow Operatives lit up._

"Woah," Akihiko raised his hand in reflex, "other people are being targeted?"

"Actually," the detective prince rebuffed the idea, "other people _were _being targeted, the anomalies seem to have ceased after our chain of events."

"He's biding his time," Mitsuru said coolly, "Shirogane-san, are you certain they've stopped?"

"As far as I could go, yes" the petite girl answered with conviction.

"How do we find, let alone, stop this guy then?" the silverette posed, "if he can go into hiding just like that, there's no telling how strong he's gonna be when he reappears."

"**We** can't act inconspicuously for obvious reasons," the redhead stated.

"I do not follow?" the mechanical maiden said, confused.

"Yeah," Sanada clasped his hands together and began thinking, "the Shadow Operatives can't just move on no data from out of the blue, we're already pushing our jurisdiction with the law enforcement."

"I see," Naoto smirked, "but a bunch of teenagers from a rural town playing Mystery Incorporated can."

"This is far too dangerous!" Aigis said with as much compassion as she has earned in her existence, "they aren't like us, they haven't had the organized training."

"They are, however, a more organized team," the young president countered, "in fact, they would be able to accomplish more than we could, the fact that they wouldn't have to deal with all the red tape is just icing on the cake."

"Look, I can see where you're coming from on this Aigis," Akihiko talked the girl down, "but they know the risks they're taking and nothing we can say or do will stop them."

"So in giving them our assistance, we are increasing their odds for survival?" the mechanical maiden said.

"Success" Naoto corrected, "just because we don't have a near human super-powered android who happens to be armed to the teeth, doesn't mean that we can't take care of ourselves, besides **we **took on a **god, two gods** if you want to get technical, and **won.**"

"Understood," Aigis calmed down.

_The meeting went on without a hitch and Mitsuru pledged some form of secret aid for the Inaba kids and her assurance to Aigis that she wasn't losing touch with her humanity._

_At the dorm...  
_

__"I am quite exhausted," the blonde sighed with a ragged expression taking over her face.

"Tough day?" Yukari said, patting the other girl on the back.

"You could say that," Aigis smiled a little.

"Anything you want to talk about?" Fuuka set down the book she was reading.

"No, just another long and pointless day of school," the mechanical maiden rested on the couch.

"Okay, g'night," the brunette yawned before heading to her room.

_"If only **you **could enjoy the boring nights like these,"_ Aigis smiled subconsciously before heading off to recharge for the night.

_-End-  
_

AN: Still hoping for some reviews because I really have no idea how long this fic is gonna take...It's mostly to get my imagination back up because I'm at a stump for Fate/Distortion and my other fics.


	4. Day 7

-_The Answer: Rebuild-_

_italics: thoughts_

regular font: dialogue

_Day 7  
_

_It had been exactly one week since Aigis had started her 'project', if an attempted resurrection could be called as such.  
_

"I still have a long ways to go," the blonde sighed.

_Reviewing her handiwork, the mechanical maiden stared at the parts she had put together._

"At the very least, he would have fully functional arms," Aigis dropped on the floor, "this is much more difficult than I thought it would be."

_The mechanical maiden rubbed her joints, she would have to switch to a new pair of arms before her current ones break down._

"Rough day?" a familiar, velvet-clad woman sat beside the blonde.

"Elizabeth, I did not know that you could leave the Velvet Room freely," the college student gave the woman a confused expression.

"Ever since I had found my Answer," Elizabeth began, "I was given free reign to travel between this world and the Velvet Room."

"What else have your travels taught you?" Aigis asked with a sincere curiosity.

"We cannot lean on the past to survive the present," the elevator attendant said with a serious tone, "otherwise, we would have no future to call our own."

"That would be difficult for me," the blonde stared at the floor, "**he **was my past, **he's **all I can think of now, and **he **is the future that I hope to achieve behind these walls."

"Yes, well perhaps you should take a little break," Elizabeth suggested.

"A break?" Aigis replied blankly, but her face screamed 'NO!'

"Yes, I have no knowledge of computers and all of this gadgetry you have set up here and it would deeply affect your performance if you don't at least take some time to rest," the attendant of the Velvet Room explained.

"That sounds like a good idea," the blonde cracked her knuckles, "I shall rest tomorrow, maybe it would clear my head a little."

"You should," Elizabeth patted Aigis' shoulder before vanishing presumably back into the Velvet Room.

_Aigis looked around, the hardware was far from finished, but the software was good to go._

_"I did have to delete a lot of code," the mechanical maiden sighed in relief, "I'm sure **his** mind couldn't handle most of the extra functions, **he **is still just a human after all."  
_

_The blonde imagined **Minato ** struggling with his heightened senses, infrared vision, enhanced strength, agility, detachable limbs, and the toaster, and laughed at the thought._

_"The toaster was most likely Kirijo-san's idea of a joke, though considering the olfactory and taste upgrades, it could as well have been a gift," Aigis reminisced, "I did develop a taste for butter toast afterwards."  
_

"That should be all for today," the blonde stood up, hid her little project and locked up.

_Elsewhere..._

_A familiar young detective was taking a cab to a rural town. On this detective's face was a look of deep thought and curiosity.  
_

_"That girl, the robot, Aigis, she seemed to be hiding something,"_ Naoto Shirogane mused, _"perhaps Kirijo is hiding...no, it was something that blonde didn't want even her friends to know."_

_The thought of a robot, however human in appearance, having an agenda of her own, scared the Detective Prince._

_"I could just be overreacting," the bluenette second guessed herself, "I'll look into it later when I get back to the city. For now, I have a date with Kanji and I haven't had a decent meal since that cafe in Port Island."  
_

_Kanji Tatsumi and Naoto Shirogane weren't just an odd couple, they were the picture on the urban dictionary for the term odd couple. On Kanji's end, he was a tough guy, a REALLY tough guy, who wore a biker appearance...and he knits, cooks and cleans the house too. On Naoto's end was a complex set of issues that strengthened her hypothesis that the strength of one's Shadow would be directly related to one's psychological issue, hence why Nanako Dojima didn't seem to possess a Shadow, she was simply too young...And the bluenette was digressing once more with thoughts that were either already established or couldn't be proven with the facts available at the moment.  
_

"I need a drink," Naoto pinched the bridge of her nose.

_10 minutes later..._

_The cab arrived at Kanji's house, the Detective Prince paid the driver and give him a tip before entering the household where she was greeted by a great big hug. _

"It's so nice to see you again Nao-chan," the voice of Kanji's mother boomed in the little house, "you and my boy should really take a vacation one of these days, at the very least, get the old gang back together."

"That's a nice idea," Naoto agreed.

""Yo Naoto!" Kanji said a little gruffly from the kitchen, "You want your steak a little well done?"

"Yeah," the bluenette smiled a little inside.

_After an embarrassing event that must never be spoken of again, involving her, a school girl outfit and Souji Seta, the silverette had the decency to steer the tomboyish detective towards the direction of the group's manly man, Kanji. The initial results were hilarious to say the least, Yosuke almost released the contents of his bladder from the laughter alone, Yukiko laughed that disturbingly out of character laugh, Chie just banged her head to the table to not offend her friends with any reaction the martial artist could come up with, Teddie was happy for Kanji, but a little sad that he couldn't 'score with Nao-chan', and Souji...Souji kept a straight face, but deep beneath those cold and seemingly emotionless, unjudging eyes was a young man who mentally exploded his organs twice with laughter at the hilarity of his two friends' relationship.  
_

_"Enough of that," Naoto cupped her cheeks, "I'll follow up on Aigis tomorrow."  
_

_-End-  
_

AN: Still hoping for some reviews because I really have no idea how long this fic is gonna take...It's mostly to get my imagination back up because I'm at a stump for Fate/Distortion and my other fics.

This chapter is a little short since I had final exams at school. And on an unrelated thought, did Maiko meet Aigis in the course of P3?


	5. Day 8

-_The Answer: Rebuild-_

_italics: thoughts_

regular font: dialogue

_Day 8  
_

_Deciding to take up the elevator attendant's advice, the mechanical maiden sat atop the swing of the shrine where Koromaru used to live. The blonde took in the cool morning breeze and sighed.  
_

"Everything is so peaceful," Aigis looked at her surroundings.

_"This is why I have to bring **him** back!" the mechanical maiden shouted from within._

"**He** deserves to enjoy everyday, to live each moment that he gave to everyone here," the blonde admitted to herself.

_Footsteps..._

_Slowly shifting her view to the source of the sound, Aigis sees a young teen reaching for the shrine, ignoring the SEES operative.  
_

"Dear God," the young brunette started, "please help me find my **blue haired big bro** today, exams are coming up and I don't know where to start looking again."

_Aigis stopped the swing at the girl's description of her **'****big bro'**, standing straight, the blonde slowly walked towards the praying girl._

"Excuse me," the Anti-Shadow Weapon lightly tapped the little girl's shoulder.

"Wahh!" the girl tripped over from shock.

"I'm sorry," Aigis extended her hand out to the girl, "I couldn't help but overhear your prayer earlier."

"Huh?" the girl replied with confusion.

"This **'big bro'** of yours," the blonde began, "did **he** wear headphones, cover one eye with **his** hair, stay quiet most of the time, and run around the town helping other people?"

"Y-yeah," the brunette answered a little stunned, "oh, where are my manners, my name is Maiko."

"I'm Aigis," the mechanical maiden gave a small grin, "so you knew **Minato**?"

"Yes, **he** helped me deal with my parent's divorce," Maiko answered, "so was **he **a friend of yours?"

"**He** was a very dear friend to me," the blonde answered.

"Do you know when I could get to see **him** again?" the girl asked, a look of desperation in her face.

"..." Aigis didn't know how to answer the teen.

"Did **big bro** leave you too?" the blonde saw a tear forming in Maiko's eye.

"No," the Shadow Operative held the girl's hand, "**he** didn't leave, **he's** just somewhere else at the moment, **he's **doing something very important right now."

_The mechanical maiden's words still held true._

"You mean **he's** coming back?" the brunette's expression shifted to one of elation.

"Don't get too excited though," Aigis closed her eyes and thought about her reply, "**he's** still taking his time wherever he is."

_"Unwillingly," the blonde finished in her mind._

"That's okay, my **bro** helped a lot of people," Maiko gave a toothy grin, "**he** deserves to enjoy **his** own time."

"I couldn't agree with you more." the mechanical maiden flashed the brunette a smile before bidding her farewell.

_"Meeting Maiko truly opened my eyes about what I'm doing," the blonde monologued as she headed for the train station. _

_"Yes, I did start this 'project' out of a selfish desire..." Aigis thought as she entered the train, "but there are others out there, other people like me who feel empty without **him** in our lives."_

_"I'm not saying that it justifies breaking the laws of nature," the mechanical maiden waved at one of her schoolmates as she exited the train, "but that solidifies my resolve that **he's **worth fighting the natural order for."  
_

"A-Aigis?" a feminine voice stuttered nearby.

"Hm?" the blonde turned around to see a familiar face.

"It's been a while," a warm smile graced the Shadow Operative's sight.

"Chihiro Fushimi?" the mechanical maiden asked for confirmation.

"Yes," the bespectacled girl giggled in reply, "I still hesitate when I talk sometimes, but it's usually around old schoolmates."

"I've heard," Aigis replied.

"That's too cruel Aigis," Chihiro pouted comically.

"I apologize," the blonde said in a familiar monotone.

"So what brings you around here?" the brunette inquired.

"Some light shopping here and there," the mechanical maiden answered.

_Chihiro attended the same school as the girls from SEES sans Mitsuru, although they never had the chance to converse aside from a few cordial greetings in the hallways._

"Oh, well I'm going to the movies with a few friends of mine," Chihiro pointed at some schoolmates who waved in her direction.

"That's good to hear," Aigis said sincerely and noted that all the girls were standing next to some rather attractive, young men, "are you going on your own or do you have a date accompanying you?"

"That..." a sullen expression took over the bespectacled girl's face, "after **he**...left, I-I just couldn't find it in me to start looking again..."

"I know the feeling," the blonde shared the sentiment.

_**Minato's** proclivity for women was no secret in Gekkoukan, in fact, it became one of the things many of **his** male friends would dedicate their drinks to from time to time. The girls for that matter, had no problem with it as long as they stayed out of each others' way. It was as if the **bluenette** had some elaborate schedule planned out for each one of them. Some would say that **he** was a hedonist or immoral, but the people around **him** knew that **he** was nothing but the perfect gentleman and that **he** treated each of the girls better than most boys could treat a lone girlfriend._

_He was truly a gift to womankind, and he was sorely missed.  
_

"But **he **isn't really gone..." Aigis said halfheartedly.

"I know, **he's **changed our lives forever," Chihiro answered, "and nothing can ever take that away from us."

"Agreed," the blonde smiled, a toothy grin following as she left her schoolmate in the company of her friends.

_"Did Elizabeth know that I would meet Maiko and Chihiro today?" the Shadow Operative mused._

_"Regardless, I am refreshed and I'm ready to continue working tomorrow," the mechanical maiden stretched before enjoying the rest of her 'day off'.  
_

_-End-  
_

AN: Still hoping for some reviews because I really have no idea how long this fic is gonna take...

R&R if you guys want more.


	6. Omake

-_The Answer: Rebuild-_

_italics: thoughts_

regular font: dialogue

_Omake: The Incredibly Awkward One with the Two Socially Inept Fight Happy Policemen.  
_

_-Inaba Police Academy-  
_

"**Which one of you punks took the last donut!?**" an irritated voice boomed at the trainee officers.

_The entire group sans one Chie Satonaka froze up in fear. A chill sent down their spines at the punishment they would endure if the one responsible didn't step up.  
_

"I can't believe some people here," the martial artist said with a disgusted tone.

"**Who the hell took my leftover beef bowl!?**" the gruff voice of Detective Dojima yelled aloud.

_The trainees shifted their gaze at the girl who scolded them for the donut incident._

"Oh come on," Chie defended herself, "I love beef okay? But, that doesn't mean that I'd just up and take it from Dojima-san of all people, that's suicidal!"

_The martial artists words did nothing to convince her peers._

"**I thought I asked you worthless punks to tell me who ate my beef**!?" the experienced detective yelled once more.

_None of the trainees had the guts to reply._

"I'm sorry sir, that was me," a voice familiar to Chie relayed an apology.

"That voice," the girl gasped.

_A silverette entered the room._

"Wasn't he that high school boxing phenomenon?" one of the trainees gawked.

"What's he doing here?" another rookie said, "He could've gone pro..."

"So Sanada," an irate look took over Dojima's face, "you were transferred here to be my new partner since you did so well in the city."

"*Gulp*," was the boxer's only reply, _"you really fucked up here Aki."_

"Now, what to do with you," the experienced detective rubbed his chin.

"Sir, I'm sorry," Akhiko bowed his head, "I hadn't had anything to eat since I arrived, I was planning to pay for it though."

"Well," Dojima began, "Junes is a long way from here and I doubt they have any more beef bowls today...So I've decided your punishment."

"Sir!" the silverette stood in attention, thinking about the bad impression he made on his first day.

_"Wow, Dojima-san is really going to tear him a new one," _Chie winced.

"You're going to be partnering up with one of the rookies here," the detective pointed at Akihiko, "they'll be the ones to break you in."

"..." the boxer shifted his gaze to the group of greenhorns, taking their measure, until...

"You!" the silverette broke out of his quiet demeanor.

"H-hey! What're you yelling at me for," the martial artist waved her hands around in panic.

"So, you already know each other huh?" a slight grin formed on Dojima's lips, "Sanada, meet your new partner."

"Seriously?" Akihiko's face turned red, "b-but sir!"

"Boss," Chie tried to talk it over, "I'm still a rookie, I don't think I've got it in me for field work yet."

"What're you yapping about?" the veteran detective asked, "Nothing ever happens here."

_-The next day-_

_In front of the police station, a lone silverette stood by in anticipation for his partner. The chances of meeting any of the group in Inaba were always high since his transfer, but to have one shoved up in his face was definitely more than just coincidence. Suddenly, a familiar face came running from the corner of the street.  
_

"Sorry I'm late," Chie gasped for breath, "since you committed career suicide yesterday, I figured you'd like this."

_The policewoman handed her new partner a plastic bag._

"Steak?" Akihiko said dumbfounded, "how did you get it this early in the morning."

"Oh, uh, two of my idiot friends, work at Junes so I had them made last minute," the martial artist rubbed the back of her head.

"And you ran all the way here..." the silverette looked at the girl wit a quizzical expression.

"Y-yeah," the girl puffed as she took her own order from the bag, "can't start a day without meat."

"...from Junes..." the boxer scratched his head.

"You looked really down in the dumps yesterday," Chie took one bite of her meal.

"...for me?" the silverette's face reddened slightly.

"M-hm," the girl nodded as she chewed on the meat.

"That's..." the man couldn't find the words to not make the situation any less awkward.

"Hmm?" Chie looked at the boxer, still chewing her steak.

**"Hey! This is your first day and you two are already dating?" **Dojima's voice boomed from the second floor window.

"Ghk!" the martial artist choked before being Heimlich'ed by her partner, "He thinks we're what?"

"Well, that's sort of how this all looks like," Sanada admitted.

_Putting two and two together, the Inaba native's eyes nearly popped out of her head._

__"**WHAAAAATTTTT!?**"

_-End-  
_

AN: Still hoping for some reviews because I really have no idea how long this fic is gonna take...or where I'm going with it

R&R if you guys want more.


	7. A New Day

-_The Answer: Rebuild-_

_italics: thoughts_

regular font: dialogue

_-A New Day-_

_The wind blew gently at the mechanical maiden, one of the charms of walking to school, the Anti-Shadow Weapon thought. Aigis had been working hard for little over a week and already she was exhausted, the blonde was nowhere near finished.  
_

"*sigh*" the girl groaned, "...at least I'm making progress with it."

"Making progress with what Aigis-san?" one of the blonde's classmates said too closely to the mechanical maiden..

"Waah!" the girl pushed the boy away in shock..._and inhuman strength, "Oh no!"_

_The boy was flung a few meters away, dumbstruck at what just happened._

"Sorry for startling you," the boy dusted himself off, "I had no idea you were so strong."

"Hey!" the voice of a certain Yukari Takeba seethed with a mix of irritation and anger.

_The pink clad SEES member rushed to the seen, a familiar introvert trailing her._

"Is this guy bothering you Aigis?" the archer asked the gunner.

"I wasn't bother-" the male was cut off.

"She wasn't asking you." Fuuka said calmly, although a grim expression covered her eyes.

"*Gulp*" the boy shut up.

"It is alright," the blonde waved her hands, "he simply startled me, I should have controlled myself better."

_With great reluctance, the brunette backed off, if only a little, and brought Fuuka along with her._

"Your friends are scary," Aigis' classmate admitted.

"They are merely protecting me," the blonde said in monotone, "although I do not feel the need to be protected. Why do you insist on following me?"

"Huh?" sweat formed on the boy's brow, "Well, you look so lonely."

"False," the mechanical maiden countered, "I spend most of my free time with those two and I know that you've been following us."

"Uh," the male was beginning to fumble for words.

"I apologize, but you're wasting my time and my patience," Aigis said truthfully before walking away.

_And so, another joins the ranks of the 'Men and **Women **rejected by Aigis Club'._

_"I do not comprehend why they choose to see me in such a way," the blonde pondered, "**he **is the only one I could ever lo-..."  
_

_-Later that Day-  
_

_A cabal of sorts gathers at an unregistered club room, an aura of sorrow permeating thru the air.  
_

"So, uh, welcome to the club," a dark haired student said awkwardly, welcoming the boy Aigis had brushed off earlier.

"How'd she shoot you down?" a guy in a red jacket asked.

"Interrogated me..." the boy was close to tears in his answer.

"...then she said you were 'wasting her time'?" a nerdy looking fellow finished the youth's sentence for him.

"You too, huh?" a rather ordinary looking girl said with a sigh.

"What is her problem?" the guy in the red jacket complained, "It's like she's gut a giant stick jammed up her-"

"Hey!" the dark haired student cut the boisterous one's curse short.

"It ain't like any of us have an actual shot," the man replied, "tch, don't even know why we even bother meeting like this besides the food and booze."

"I dunno, it's just the way she shoots us down," the first boy admitted.

"Quick, public and official," a bespectacled girl said as she adjusted her glasses.

"It's not like she has a boyfriend, right?" the nerdy guy asked.

"So you saying that she thinks she's too good for the likes of us?" the guy in the red jacket fumed.

"Where is this going?" the newest member asked.

"I've got a plan," the boy in the red jacket gave a disturbing smile.

_-Outside the room-_

_Yukari Takeba was passing by when she overheard the group's conversation thru a hole in the abandoned room's structure.  
_

"These idiots really have no clue," the brunette fumed before grabbing her cellphone, "Fuuka, follow me ASAP."

"What's the problem?" the petite girl said over the phone.

"It's Aigis' creepy stalker club," Takeba sighed in disapproval.

"Again!?" the techno wiz groaned.

"Yeah, they're planning something bad and I'm gonna need you to set something up for it," Yukari requested.

"The PA system?" Fuuka took a wild guess.

"You read my mind," Takeba giggled, "though we should give them a chance first."

_-On Aigis' End-_

_The mechanical maiden was absentmindedly scribbling on her notepad as the instructor delivered a lecture on advancements of artificial intelligence made possible due to the Kirijo and Nanjo groups. Aigis of course had no need to pay attention, she was the culmination of the research itself, of course she would know the tedious history, including the parts that both groups hid from their reports.  
_

_"I am unsure how Elizabeth plans to infuse **his **soul into the body,"_ the blonde thought as she rested her chin on her pencil, _"it wouldn't hurt to have an AI system in place to streamline his actions. My own code may interfere with **his **preexisting natural movements"_

_Aigis giggled a little, thinking of **Minato **falling over as he took his first steps.  
_

"Any questions class?" the lecturer asked as he polished his worn glasses.

_An idea brewing on the back of her mind, Aigis raised her hand._

"Yes Miss Aigis..." the teacher along with the other students never understood why Aigis preferred being called by her first name, always chalking it up as some foreign custom which they reluctantly accepted.

"Is it possible to create an AI with the capacity to adapt with out current technology?" the blonde sounded both curious and impatient, _"...without the resources of the Kirijo Group."_

"Well," a bead of sweat formed on the man's brow, "I can't validate that, I know that the Kirijo Group has made autonomous mechanoids that assist the police departments around the world, but they are still in testing phases, but they're very hush-hush about the whole thing at the moment."

"I see," Aigis sighed in defeat, _"...Mitsuru-senpai...I won't be able to to replicate the code without being detected."_

_To protect company interests, the sophisticated source code that allowed Aigis to act human, to learn and adapt to the 'person' that she is today is heavily guarded by a superior firewall and many other fail-safes to ensure that no one can tamper or take the prized and privileged information.  
_

_For the moment, Aigis channeled Evangelion's Gendo Ikari and rested her chin on clasped hands, weighing her options.  
_

_- One, the mechanical maiden could proceed at her current pace and finish the project in 2-3 years time.  
_

_- Two, she could attempt to rewrite the code based on her own understanding without the Kirijo Group's assistance which runs the risks of bugs and various other headaches, but offers her a shot at completion within 16-20 months.  
_

_- Lastly, the blonde could risk everything by copying herself into the body which would have a high possibility of ending in a fight coupled with an existential debate with the new body.  
_

_Aigis did not like her options, but she had to choose, in order for **him **to have a life, the Anti-Shadow Weapon was willing to lose hers.  
_

"Thank you professor," the blonde said before she along with her classmates, left for their next class.

_-Back to Takeba, Yamagishi, and the Legion of Losers-_

_The delinquents had decided that enough was enough and started heading out to do something about the object of their sufferings. Of course, the boys and girls were not expecting to meet with some very familiar faces.  
_

"The hell do you want?" the punk in the red jacket, the leader...apparently, said roughly.

"Just wondering where you were going," Yukari said innocently.

"None of your fuckin' business," another punk spat out.

"Oh my," Fuuka faked shock in her expression, "just what should we do Yukari-chan?"

"I don't know Fuuka-san," the brunette said with a small grin.

"Tch, your little blonde friend ain't gonna be the only one we mess up if you two don't get out of our way," a girl, sporting a loose white jacket and a gothic hairstyle drew a wooden plank.

"Fuuka?"the pink clad girl motioned towards her friend.

"Hmm," the teal-haired girl struggled, on something she held in her hand for a few moments.

_With the push of the button, static could be heard around the hallway._

"Ehem," Fuuka took a deep breath, "it looks like some people have been very, _very _bad, wouldn't you say, Takeba-san?"

_Passing the device to the pink clad girl, the petite technophile grinned at the delinquents._

"Yes, Yamagishi-san, it's almost like we can hear it over and over again," the brunette said sarcastically.

_As if on cue, Fuuka took out another device from her jacket and pushed a button and held the device against the microphone.  
_

_"The hell do you want?" the punk in the red jacket said roughly._

_"Just wondering where you were going," Yukari said innocently._

_"None of your fuckin' business," another punk spat out._

_"Oh my," Fuuka faked shock in her expression, "just what should we do Yukari-chan?"_

_"I don't know Fuuka-san," the brunette said with a small grin._

_"Tch, your little blonde friend ain't gonna be the only one we mess up if you two don't get out of our way," a girl's voice said threateningly._

"Dammit, we're gonna get killed for this," one of the coerced nerds groaned.

"Well we ain't getting out of this without any souvenirs then," the gang leader smiled evilly.

"Yukari-san!" the technophile worried as her friend was being charged by the punk.

_In an unexpected turn of events, Yukari Takeba simply smiled, unnerving the larger student, and grabbed him by the arm followed by a kick to the man's right leg, effectively tripping the gang leader._

"The hell!?" the assistant punks said with mouths agape.

_Dusting her hands clean, the brunette glared at the rest of the group._

"If any of you so much as come near our friend, we will find you and make your lives as miserable as possible," the pink clad girl growled.

"..." Fuuka smiled calmly, "You'll wish you were dead."

_The former SEES members left the beaten club with looks of triumph while their opponents were left in utter devastation._

_-Back to Aigis-  
_

_"Those two have this under control," the blonde smirked inward, "I'll just text them for good measure."  
_

_Aigis then made her way to her shed in the secluded area of the woods, her friends could take care of themselves, fighting Shadows ensured that numerical/technological superiority in their enemies advantage was a handicap at best.  
_

"Hmm?" the mechanical maiden saw a cellphone on her work table.

_Ugh...Work..._

_It was presumptuous for Aigis to think that the codework was all green, while many of the functions were covered...certain points necessitated revision else **Minato **be moving arms instead of legs, stabbing things with a sword instead of waving his hands, etc. The proposed hardware was sufficiently different from her own and would result in fatal errors if placed prematurely.  
_

"I can make this work," the blonde rubbed the bridge of her nose before picking up the phone while typing on her computers.

_The **Velvet** phone could call a single number, it was very convenient as it allowed coordination on the fly._

_"Aigis," a catty voice said, "how goes work?"  
_

"Exhausting," the mechanical maiden sighed, "but I'm thinking of the rewards."

_"The cards have spoken..." Elizabeth's voice shuddered._

"Is everything alright?" Aigis grew concerned.

_"Be wary of the Fortune," the attendant said gravely, "because the Aeon has once more become the Fool."_

"Noted," the blonde replied before setting the phone down and resuming her coding.

_-End-  
_

AN: Still hoping for some reviews because I really have no idea how long this fic is gonna take...or where I'm going with it.

Omake chaps will be interspersed in the updates but don't fret, they're there to foreshadow future events in the story, fillers aren't my favorite, but its fine if they contribute something to the actual story.(Chekhov's Gun style)

Also, do you guys think I made Maiko 2 updates back sound a little too much like Nanako?

Leave any suggestions in the reviews and I'll try my hardest to incorporate them, this is your fic as much as its mine.

R&R if you guys want more.


	8. Naoto Shirogane's Investigation

-_The Answer: Rebuild-_

_italics: thoughts_

regular font: dialogue

_-Naoto Shirogane's Investigation-  
_

_-Naoto's Room, Shirogane Residence-  
_

_It had been a month since the meeting with the Shadow Operatives at the cafe, Naoto caught onto something besides the case involving the Malevolent Entity, but decided to set her doubts as secondary to the more important matters of her agreement with the Shadow Operatives. The Detective Prince lazily got up from her bed at the crack of dawn and began questioning just how much she trusted her newfound allies, of course, such deep and introspective thinking is only because of how drunk the Investigation Team got the previous night since Souji made a surprise visit and brought the weather girl from TV as his date.  
_

_"That's the last time I'm willing to get drunk at Yosuke's bar," the girl yawned annoyed.  
_

_In the span of time since dealing with their mysterious enemy, Yosuke Hanamura asked his father if he could open a bar at Junes after hours.  
_

_This proposal met skepticism until Yosuke claimed that since no one really had a proper bar in town, Junes would be able to profit extremely.  
_

_Hanamura Sr. surprisingly caught into his son's insane logic and agreed 'for the glory and prosperity of Junes'.  
_

"Sometimes I wonder how my friends survive with families like that," Naoto said as she walked towards the washroom.

-Outside the Amagi Inn-

_Two rookie policemen were walking away from the local inn, a rather large dog running around them. Three people, a girl in a kimono, and two boys with Junes uniforms, one, a blonde with blue eyes and the other, with wild hair and a calm almost slackerish vibe around him waved the rookie policemen farewell.  
_

"He seems happy," the silverette said as he looked at the dog, "although I'd hoped to meet your friends in better circumstances."

"He gets like that whenever we visit Yukiko," Chie admitted as her beloved pet circled her, "I got so scared when we got the call from Dojima-san though."

_Chie's dog had a knack for stealing attention and did so by rolling over, nearly tripping the boxer._

"How did he get so big anyway?" Akihiko asked, regaining his balance, "I mean its surprising that he can even move so fast."

"..." the girl wasn't paying attention as she eyed someone familiar.

-A Short Distance Away From the Shirogane Estate-

"It was nice of Kirijo-san to handle my expenses for my trip here," the Detective Prince mused, "...our True Enemy...I think I have almost all the clues to finding you."

_"Yes," Naoto thought by herself, "of course someone like him isn't going to be easy to face, if anything, I could be falling into his plans. But, my true reason for going to Port Island again...is Aigis!"_

"Hey Naoto!" the voice of Chie Satonaka echoed in the empty streets, looking up, Naoto sees that Chie is accompanied by Sanada of the Shadow Operatives and Chie's large, _large _dog.

"Oh Chie," the Detective Prince snapped out of her trance like state, "I see you're walking your dog."

"Hey!" the martial artist said defensively, "Sanada-sensei isn't a dog."

_A bead of sweat formed on both Naoto and Akihiko's forehead._

"I was talking about your pet," the investigator said in deadpan, pointing at the clueless animal who seemed to acknowledge the girl by tilting his head.

"...Oh," the rookie cop fumbled as she rubbed her pointer fingers together.

_A dead silence took over the atmosphere, sensing that things were getting from awkward to ridiculous, Akihiko Sanada did what he thought was best._

"Anyway, what're you doing up so early Shirogane-san?" the boxer asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I could ask you the same thing _Sanada-san_," a mischievous smirk appeared on Naoto's face as a brilliant idea popped up on the Detective Prince's face, "especially considering how close you're standing to Chie here."

"Whaaa-," the martial artist panicked, "whoa, wait just a minute here Naoto, we're not even supposed to be fraternizing in uniform and you expect _that._"

"Kinky." the tomboyish girl said with a blank expression.

"No, just no," the silverette facepalmed, "there are so many weird, weird images popping in my head right now."

"The hell!?" Chie's fuse finally burned out and she drop kicked the boxer to the ground, comically leaving an imprint of Aki's face on the pavement.

"Even I know that's wrong," the Detective Prince added with a shrug, _"Thank God I had my recorder on, I'm making a CD of this for everyone."_

"For your information," the boxer raised a finger as his body decided the sidewalk was a comfortable place to lay down on, "we were looking up the Amagi Inn because some weird, fished-eye kid has been hanging around."

"You mean Kubo?" Naoto looked a little surprised.

"How'd you know?" Akihiko summoned the strength to get back up, "geez, you hit harder than a Fatal Strike from Aigis."

"..." Chie just grinned apologetically and got back on topic, "he went psycho during _that _series of events."

"And they let him out?" the silverette's faith in the system dropped slightly.

"Well, they sent him to a mental institution since nothing in his story stuck," the martial artist elaborated, "don't know why they'd set him loose though."

"He's been quiet after we dealt with Izanami," Naoto explained, "although he did kill Morooka-sensei so I've been keeping tabs on him."

"I thought the culprit was this Adachi guy," Akihiko strained his mind as he tried to catch up with the train of thought.

"Adachi sent people into the TV," Chie explained, "Kubo killed a teacher and it sent out investigation off track for a while."

"Is Amagi-san alright then?" a look of genuine concern showed in the Detective Prince's face.

"Yeah, Teddie and Yosuke were around stocking the supplies of the inn," the martial artist said cheerfully.

"Thank goodness," Naoto gave a sigh of relief, "it's good to know that you can count on the guys."

"Actually..." Akihiko corrected, "those two stopped her from going too far."

"Really now?" the heir of the Shirogane name's expectations were surpassed, " Just what did she do to that guy?"

"At first, she just calmly let him down..._again,_" Chie explained, "but the idiot had the stupidity to lay a hand on her shoulders..."

"The paramedics thought that a vending machine or a fridge fell on the poor schmuck," the silverette shuddered, "remind me not to cross that girl, the way her cold and unfeeling eyes bare into your soul..."

"This all sounds interesting, and I'd love to talk about it sometime, but..." Naoto pointed at her watch, "I've got a train to catch."

"Where you heading then, Naoto?" the martial artist asked curiously.

"Port Island," the detective said as she gave her farewells, "I've got a few deals to work out with Kirijo-san"

"By the way," Akihiko called Naoto's attention while Chie was busy handling her furry companion, "give this to Mitsuru, it's a digital copy of the fog documentation, she thinks that our joint effort with the Nanjo could dig up more information from this thing."

"Understood," Naoto whispered as she pocketed the flash drive, _"Kirijo's resources are greater than the law enforcement's and they do have more prior information on what we're dealing with, it makes sense that they might know something about this."_

_-Aigis' Workshop, Port Island-  
_

_Aigis was off on her little corner, getting started with her own personal maintenance before continuing with the **'Minato Arisato Revival Plan'.**_

_*Ring, Ring***  
**_

"Elizabeth," the Anti-Shadow Weapon answered her phone, "are there any new developments?"

"Exercise caution today," the Velvet Room attendant warned, "you'll be having an unexpected visitor."

"Understood," the blonde replied before setting the phone down.

_-30 minutes later-_

_The mechanical maiden was dutifully working on the **boy's **new body until she heard a sound that wasn't supposed to happen.  
_

_*Knock, Knock*  
_

"Who could it be?" the blonde stopped working and hid her 'project' in its personal hiding spot.

_Peering thru the one way glass, the Aeon found the face of Naoto Shirogane waiting at the front door. Seeing this, the mechanical maiden hesitantly released the locks to her workshop door._

"Is there anything I can help you with Shirogane-san?" Aigis asked sincerely.

"Actually, Aigis," Naoto took a deep breath, "I want to ask you what you've been doing lately."

"Hmm?" the mechanical maiden blinked, "I've been doing what I've always done. _This isn't a lie, I've always made it a priority to care for **him.**_"

"Would you mind if I had a look then?" the Detective Prince asked politely.

"Very well, but I must warn you that the place is quite messy," the blonde answered with slight reluctance, "I don't really clean up after myself, **he **would scold me if he were around though."

"**He**?" Naoto's keen insight gnawed at her to press on that single word.

"Our **leader** back then," a small smile formed on the Anti-Shadow Weapon's lips, "**he** took it upon **himself** to resolve the problems of the people around **him**."

"I see, **Minato Arisato,**" the Detective Prince sighed, "take care of yourself Aigis, not everything is as it seems."

_Before Naoto could leave the workshop, something in the background caught her attention. It was a dirty white cloth that looked out of place with the high tech gadgetry that reminded Naoto of her inner world from the Midnight Channel.  
_

"I wonder what this is," the investigator squinted her eyes as she pulled the cloth that triggered the Investigation Team member's instincts, "Th-this is!"

"I always knew that sooner or later, someone would find this," a hint of sadness permeated throughout Aigis' voice, "answer me honestly Shirogane-san, what are you going to do with this information?"

_As the atmosphere changes to reflect the direness of the situation, the Detective Prince barely misses the sound of the front door locking..._

_Aigis closed her eyes and raised her right arm, pointing at Naoto, a whirring sound followed by a click similar to what could be heard from a machine-gun.  
_

_-End-  
_

AN: Still hoping for some reviews because I really have no idea how long this fic is gonna take...or where I'm going with it.

Gonna be opening up a poll, first to 15 decides the flow of the story.

Anybody else notice that Patrick Seitz who voices Ragna the Bloodedge in BlazBlue, voices both Nyarlathotep in P2 and the Malevolent Entity in P4 the Arena? I'm sensing a connection.

Leave any suggestions in the reviews and I'll try my hardest to incorporate them, this is your fic as much as its mine.

R&R if you guys want more.


	9. Naoto Shirogane's Investigation 2

-_The Answer: Rebuild-_

_italics: thoughts_

regular font: dialogue

_-Naoto Shirogane's Investigation 2-_

_The Detective Prince didn't know what was going on or who the mechanical construct was supposed to be. Beads of sweat dropping from her face, Naoto realized that she was alone against a heavily armed, blonde and unhinged Shadow killing machine. The bluenette stepped away from the door and moved between Aigis and the blue-haired mechanical man that the Anti-Shadow Weapon tried to hide.  
_

"Aigis-san..." the Detective Prince called out to the blonde, "...what's going on?"

"It is simple Shirogane-san," the mechanical maiden replied in her old monotone, "I am building a mechanical body."

"That doesn't..." Naoto scowled, "this, this is wrong Aigis."

"I am aware of that," the blonde lowered her arms, "but **he's **worth it, **he **is worth all of this, Naoto-san."

"Ai-Aigis," the Detective Prince fumbled under her breath, "with everything that's going on right now, we can't afford to have something like this."

"And what, pray tell is so important?" a frown formed on the Anti-Shadow Weapon's face.

"Our true enemy," the bluenette stood firm in her announcement, "we can't track him and its clear that he's planning his next move as we speak."

"That has nothing to do with my project Shirogane-san," Aigis called the girl's excuse as a bluff, "since we cannot find him, it is imperative that **he **return to the land of the living."

"..." the mechanical maiden was too far gone in Naoto's eyes.

"Imagine, Shirogane-san, another Wild Card to aid us in our battle against the Entity," the blonde explained, "and even if the Entity does not return within our lifetimes, at the very least, **he **could be a part of the world that **he** saved."

"Yes, you're absolutely right Aigis," the bluenette lowered her gun, "**he's **paid the price for things **he **never had the chance to hold."

"I am glad you that you understand," the blonde disengaged her weapons systems and placed her right hand over her ribbon in relief, "we fight for the same side so it is counterproductive that we quarrel amongst ourselves."

"I agree with you entirely," the Detective Prince affirmed coolly, "we shouldn't be fighting each other...I'm sorry Aigis."

"It's alright, I was aware that this might be the reacti-," the blonde answered politely before being cut off by a loud gunshot.

_Her hand grasping her face, the mechanical maiden realized that the petite woman had a second gun. Scanning herself for damage, Aigis was schocked to find that half of her left hand was obliterated._

"What just-" a look of confusion took over the blonde's face.

"I had my grandfather make this with the assistance of old family contacts," Naoto tapped her new gun with her old one, "this was an abandoned attempt at making a miniaturized anti-tank weapon, it was botched because it only works in close range."

"I-I thought..." a tear made its way down the mechanical maiden's once immaculate face.

"I am sorry that this did have to happen," the bluenette said, regret lining her words, "but this, this just can't happen right now."

_Taking the Panzerbuster with her, the Detective Prince kept a considerable distance from the reinforced door before firing an ear-splitting round, taking down the door and most of the wall around it._

_"I need to report this to Kirijo," the sleuth noted in her head as she ran from the scene, "this is too big to just act on my own."  
_  
_*RING-RING*_

_With great effort, the mechanical maiden answered the Velvet phone, expecting to be chided by the elevator attendant for what had just transpired._

_The plan was compromised now.  
_

_"I apologize that my warning did not reflect on how dire the circumstances would become," the cat-eyed elevator attendant said her voice clearly saddened.  
_

_"Elizabeth..." Aigis answered, her attention far too focused on the next course of action, "I..."  
_

_"Do not worry," Elizabeth said cheerfully, "it's not over yet."  
_

_-One Hour LAter-  
_

_...Kirijo Group Main Office Complex in Port Island-  
_

_A distraught Naoto Shirogane was rushing thru the halls of the massive building, flashing her high profile ID to pass thru security, all in order to reach one Mitsuru Kirijo, because the questions she would have answered are things she must hear in person._

"Excuse me Detective Shirogane," Mitsuru's secretary stopped the panicked young woman, "President Kirijo is in the middle of a business meeting, but should be finished soon, so if you'd kindly wait here for a moment, I could have some refreshments sent over."

"Thank you," the petite girl caught her breath, allowing herself to relax a little from the stress, _"the last thing this unofficial business with the Shadow Operatives need is them thinking we're out to get them."_

_*Ring*  
_

_"Naoto, it's Teddie," the usually happy-go-lucky bear spoke like he had been cruelly rejected by a girl.  
_

"Teddie," the bluenette replied succinctly, "what's going on?"

_"I've just come back from a trip to the TV World with Yosuke and Yuki-chan to meet Sensei," the blonde ladykiller elaborated._

_One of the more mundane albeit potential applications of the TV World was the traversing of large distances, occasionally used by the Investigation Team to meet Yu or Naoto whenever she was out of town due to work._

"What happened Teddie?"Naoto inquired, the tone in her friend's voice filling the girl with dread.

_"We found a new dungeon," there was despair in the bear's voice, "it's very near to where you are now."_

_Something that shocked the Investigation Team when they had decided to explore the TV World further is that the further in they went, the more the peaceful green World started to become like the nightmarish place that they had encountered in Inaba. The team had managed to save Inaba from drowning in their own despair, but the world was a bigger place and they were only a handful of teens who could only do so much.  
_

"What!?" a million thoughts raced in the detective's mind at that moment_, _"Teddie, what did you guys see?"

_"The four of us were pulled in by a strange tunnel," the Shadow with a heart began relaying his story, "when we came to, we were in a place with lots of computers and wires were everywhere, and the Shadows inside of that place, they weren't giving of an aura like the ones we usually find, that attack us on sight, these Shadows were heartless and smart too."_

"Smart?" the Detective Prince worried deeply at the thought of intelligent Shadows, "Teddie, what else have you learned about this place."

_"Nao-chan...Yuki-chan had to blast a hole in the wall so that the four of us could escape," the blonde replied, "they almost knocked Sensei out and Yosuke got his arm broken in the fight, I almost lost my head."_

"That sounds terrible..." Naoto's heart raced for worry of her friends, "Teddie, I have to go know, tell the others that we'll meet up later, okay?"

_"Sure thing Nao-chan," the well-dressed acquaintance began to cheer up slightly, "see you later Nao-chan."_

"Miss Shirogane," the secretary waved a hand in Naoto's direction, "President Kirijo's meeting has just concluded."

_Looking at the direction of the boardroom, the bluenette spotted a bespectacled man in his late twenties or early thirties who wore a light blue scarf exiting the room alongside an intimidating man in a leather jacket who wore fingerless gloves._

"So Kei, was that chick hot or what?" the intimidating man spoke rather crassly to the bespectacled man as if they were longtime acquaintances.

"With behavior like that Reiji, I might have to hire another bodyguard _for you,_" the bespectacled man sighed, "and the sexual harassment lawsuits don't seem to be deterring your attempts."

"We gotta live while we're young buddy," the gruffer of the two laughed it off, "didn't think we'd see Akihiko Sanada here, it's a shame he didn't go pro after school."

"We're no longer young you know?" Kei sighed, "our days of adventuring against monsters from another world are behind us and you're only projecting on Sanada the opportunity you didn't even get the chance two after high school."

"Speak for yourself _old man,_" Reiji said offended, "I'm at the prime of my life."

_The two men continued their comedic argument all the way to the elevator, audible to the ace detective until the doors closed._

_"So that was Nanjo?" the sleuth thought in disbelief.  
_

_Interrupting the detective's chain of thought, a stunning redhead in a well-tailored black dress suit entered the waiting area, calling the bluenette's attention.  
_

"Shirogane-san?" Mitsuru waved a hand in front of the detective who stared blankly into space, "What did you want to speak about?"

"Kirijo-san..." Naoto snapped herself together, "it's about your friend, Aigis."

_The redheaded beauty's demeanor changed at that instant, motioning for the sleuth to enter her office where they could speak freely. Shutting the doors Mitsuru gestured for Naoto to take a seat in front of a grand Mahogany table._

__"Is everything alright with Aigis?" the Kirijo Group head asked, not as a businesswoman, but a concerned friend.

"I'm afraid it's not as you think," the sleuth pulled her cap down.

"What's going on?" Mitsuru gazed at the view of the city available only to her office.

"She's gone rogue," Naoto answered as she stood up from her seat, "she's retreated to the TV world, and what bothers me most is what she's been doing recently."

_-End-  
_

AN: Still hoping for some reviews because I really have no idea how long this fic is gonna take...or where I'm going with it.

Anybody else notice that Patrick Seitz who voices Ragna the Bloodedge in BlazBlue, voices both Nyarlathotep in P2 and the Malevolent Entity in P4 the Arena? I'm sensing a connection.

Leave any suggestions in the reviews and I'll try my hardest to incorporate them.

R&R if you guys want more.


	10. Reaching for the Truth

-The Answer-Rebuild-

-Reaching for the Truth-

_Aigis leaving for the TV World came as a great shock for the Shadow Operatives. Mitsuru and Akihiko simply told Yukari and Fuuka that Aigis was undergoing extensive maintenance. The Investigation Team on the other hand were very concerned, to their knowledge, Aigis didn't appear on TV, she didn't seem to attract a lot of attention outside of her hair color and eyes, it was as if there was an outside force on the matter. However, Soiji and Naoto recognized that they didn't have the liberty of pondering, and decided to meet at the city with Teddie and Marie, who took a leave of absence from work, because the four of them were the only ones that could.  
_

"So Nao-chan," Teddie began, thinking deeply from his train seat, "how long do you think we're gonna have this time?"

"I don't know Teddie," the girl pouted, "there are just too many things that don't add up."

"You two should just shut up and enjoy the ride," the raven-haired weather woman scolded the two, "we haven't even started and you're already depressed."

"We're just worried," Naoto answered, "I had a fight with this person before she vanished, that's why she's decided to run away."

"So it's your fault," Marie said flatly, "at least I'll get to see Souji again."

"So Marie-chan," the blonde said playfully, "how're things with Senpai?"

"Things are going well," the weather announcer sighed, "but we don't get to see each other as much as we like so I'm afraid that he might just one day forget about me."

"It must be rough," the Detective Prince said, "being that far from one another."

"Not like you and Kanji though," Marie giggled, "having him cook dinner amongst the other surprising things you wouldn't expect a tough guy like him to do."

"Hey, I'm just trying to have a conversation here," the bluenette said defensively.

"And what I fine conversation we're having," the forecaster said with a noblewoman's laugh, "isn't that right Teddie-_kun_?"

"Why yes Marie-_san_," Teddie said, joining in on the teasing, "it is a nice conversation, please, do continue Nao-chan."

"I should have expected this since I realized that both of you were coming with me on this," the petite girl sighed.

_-Meanwhile-_

_The senior Shadow Operatives were sitting in the Kirijo Group's boardroom, a definitive silence between them._

"Dammit," Akihiko cursed under his breath, "I don't even know what to think. I mean rebuilding _him, _no one could have come up with something like this."

"Akihiko," Mitsuru said with a hushed voice, "what are your plans for Aigis?"

"My plan?" the silverette whispered, "All of us know what happened way back then, what **_he _**does to keep that-that _thing _at bay. Aigis was the only one who even thought about finding out _why _things turned out the way they did."

"That's right," Mitsuru affirmed, "so there could only be one explanation to all that she's doing right now."

"You really think so?" the rookie cop said with doubt over his voice, "That she's found a way to get him out of that place without the world going to end?"

"Maybe it's connected to the other Persona users," the redhead pondered, "their victory against the gods may have weakened Erebus further, maybe they've allowed humanity to hope again."

"Like a human Pandora's Box?" Akihiko gave a little smile, "I'd love to see things that way, to hope, maybe I can, soon."

"Hm?" the President of the Kirijo Group hummed, "What was that Akihiko?"

"N-nothing important," the silverette stammered, "an-anyway, the other possible explanation does concern me though."

"Yes," Mitsuru scowled, "she's gone mad, and it falls to us to deal with this either way."

"Do we get the team back together?" the rookie cop wondered.

"We can't do this on our own," the redhead sighed, "but the others have earned their peace and quiet."

"Agreed," Mitsuru nodded as she sipped her coffee, "we'll send in the Investigation Team from Inaba then."

"I'd rather see Aigis face-to-face," Akihiko admitted, "but we can't be seen with those kids if we're to keep their involvement with us a secret."

_The two decided to end the meeting and start their preparations, they had to get their friend back._

_-In the TV World-_

_The laboratory, now the newest locale of the TV World, was being attended to by a single person, Aigis, who uniquely, was not being held against her will or being tormented by her Shadow. Instead, her Shadow was assisting her in the rebuilding process. The other Shadows however, were not as lucky, those that escaped were roaming the area and were generally powerful enough to deal with intruders, those that failed to escape the mechanical maiden's heartless fury were being hunted, to be turned into a new Plume of Dusk for the **boy**._

"Sister," a raven hared mechanical maiden spoke, "are we almost finished?"

"Not yet Metis," Aigis answered with a lack of emotion, "just a little more."

_When Metis came out to confront Aigis in the TV World, the 'humanity' that the SEES member acquired split off in order to form the brunette. However, the second mechanical maiden did not hinder her sister's work, her existence alone disturbed Aigis._

"Do you think your friends will come?" Metis wondered.

"I am certain," the blonde sighed, "although it is my fondest wish that they do not choose to confront me on the matter."

"You've come too far to go back now,"a sullen expression overcame the girl, "is that what you're saying?"

"Yes," Aigis said heavyhearted, "even if he chooses to be with another girl, I will accept that. My hands are far too tainted to be anywhere near him when he awakes, I lied to my friends, I've broken the laws of nature and I've fought my allies."

_Aigis' hands trembled as she motioned to caress the **boy's **face._

_-The Velvet Room-_

_Amidst the messy arrangement of technology and parts all over the Room, its sole occupant was lounging in a throne of wires and computers, a look of boredom in her face._

"I wonder," the woman smirked as she sipped a glass of champagne, "if the girl would figure things out before the show ends."

_A cackle of laughter filled the air as the elevator attendant held a Tarot Card in her hand._

"So **boy**," the image of **Minato Arisato** appeared on the card, "does your little girlfriend have any idea what's going to happen when she finishes building that?"

"..." the **bluenette **said nothing, but his gaze was far from lifeless.

"Don't be like that," the woman scowled, "just because I've got a friend of yours tied up doesn't mean you have to be such a grouch about it."

_As if on cue, a door hidden on the floor opened up, revealing another Elizabeth bound and gagged_ _within._

"!" Minato's gaze shifted to an expression of shock.

"I didn't rough her up or anything," the fake Elizabeth laughed, "that's just not my style."

"Ugh," the prone form of the Velvet Room's true occupant groaned.

"Oh," the fake Elizabeth said in astonishment, "you're much more resilient than I thought, I should give credit to good ol' Phil for having sturdy pawns like you."

_-The Underground Laboratory-_

_The essence of the defeated Shadows were being placed into a single vat of a dark substance. Metis dutifully worked on a control panel that beeped every seconds, pushing buttons and viewing the screen of her monitor for the influx of data. Aigis meticulously worked on the hardware of the **boy**, making the necessary final adjustments to the body._

"Sister," the brunette glanced at the blonde, "the Plume is ready for use."

"Excellent," Aigis tapped her fingers against one another, "it's almost time."

_In a practiced motion, the mechanical maiden took out her cellphone and began calling the only contact of that particular phone._

"Elizabeth," the blonde began speaking, "all the preparations are complete."

"That's wonderful," the fake elevator attendant grinned behind the phone, "you'll have to postpone a little bit, you have guests coming along."

"So soon?" Aigis heaved, "Sister, get a scan of the front entrance, the intruders have returned."

"Affirmative," Metis saluted, projecting the image as a hologram. revealing the faces of the people that the blonde had met the year before.

"This time..." the blonde thought to herself, "I won't hold back."

-End-

AN: Sorry for the lack of updates on my fics, schedule is getting hectic with research proposals in school bundled up with a fresh serving of exams.

*Nyarlathotep is the Mysterious Entity here and has been posing as Elizabeth from the start.

**Minato is still acting as the Great Seal, but can be taken out at any time by the Big Bad, who thankfully, would have humanity do it themselves with their own despair.

***Marie will not be joining the active team in the upcoming battle, but will serve as mission control alongside Rise.


	11. The Price of Progress

-The Price of Progress-

_Chie Satonaka was deeply concerned, her partner in law enforcement had not contacted her in three days._

"Dammit Aki," the girl cursed as her cellphone ceased ringing, "what's gotten into you?"

The rookie knew that the silverette was only unreachable when he wanted to be alone and do some deep thinking.

"You alright Chie?" the calm voice of Yukiko Amagi contrasted that of her panicked best friend.

"It's Akihiko-senpai," the martial artist sighed, "he's been gone for a while, a week now and Souji is in Port Island with the others."

"I see," the Innkeeper hummed, "I'm guessing we're all gonna have to go to the Midnight Channel in less favorable circumstances again."

"I know," the rookie cop replied, "I just can't help but feel the two are connected, that we're about to plan something with the SEES guys."

"By the way," Yukiko yawned, "it's getting late, I think Yosuke should be closing shop soon."

"Or he could be horribly drunk again," Chie grinned at the memory, "honestly, that guy will do anything people dare him to do."

"At least he doesn't make the same mess that Teddie does when he gets drunk," the Amagi pointed out.

"Where does that bear even hide that gunk, I don't wanna know," the rookie cop shuddered.

_And so, the members of the Investigation Team of Inaba called it a night as they cautiously welcomed the coming days, knowing that their temporary peace was coming to an end._

_-Port Island-_

_The representatives of the Investigation Team were sitting in front of one of the most powerful women in Japan._

"I'm sure all of you have some idea why you're here right now," Mitsuru stated as she gazed at the view of the city from the window.

"Yes," Souji affirmed, "Aigis has entered the other side."

"And it was horrible!" Teddie added, "Fighting off gods was easier than that."

"Yes, it was, wasn't it?" Marie chuckled as she sipped her drink.

"Of course, considering the amount of power we're dealing with now," Naoto thought aloud, "is this the end result of a Wild Card having their true selves exposed on the TV?"

"I honestly can't say," the redhead answered as she faced the group, "you're our experts when it comes to the Midnight Channel and other related phenomena."

"From what I've seen though," the silverette adjusted his glasses, "she wasn't kidnapped or taken, she willingly entered the TV."

"I see," the Kirijo Group head released a sigh.

"Additionally, Ai-chan seems to be the subject of a lot of rumors in her school," the bear pointed out.

"Which may have fueled the strength of her own world," Marie stepped in, "a big city like this, lots of stuff to be said."

"That's our understanding of how this all works out anyway," the Detective Prince clarified.

"What do you need to get this done?" Mitsuru asked the group.

"W-what?" Teddie stared at the woman.

"What provisions, resources and equipment do you need to get in there and get her out in one piece?" the woman set a death glare on the bear.

"I see," Souji nodded, "the arrangement only counts in our world."

"Hmmm," Naoto hummed in agreement, "the governments wouldn't have any claim of territory or property on that side, we can do it."

"Suit up and get in there," the redhead ordered the group, "Akihiko and I will maintain the surrounding area, the armory is free to access, I will give you the codes."

"Is there anything else we should know?" the silverette shot a look of accusation at the executive.

"Reason with her if you can," was Mitsuru's answer, "she's still a friend."

"Understood," the teen headed for the elevator with his friends and prepared for what was to come.

"Senpai," Naoto whispered, hiding her face from the camera.

"I know," the silverette shrugged his shoulders.

"Scary lady is hiding something from us isn't she?" Teddie said without moving his mouth.

"Yup," Marie yawned, "I think it's linked to the Room somehow."

_Silently, the teens descended the building and went beyond the last visible floor in the panel._

"Figures," Souji chuckled lightly, "I'm afraid that I won't know what to expect out there."

"Don't worry Sensei!" the bear reassured his friend, "We'll just get a good set of boots for Chie-chan, a fan for Yuki-chan and a big fat shield for Kanji."

"Those guys will meet us later tonight anyway," the raven haired girl stated, "the old gang is back together again."

"Our propensity for the strange is quite evident," Naoto winced, "of course, our leader dating a weather goddess is one proof of this."

"But we didn't get this far by being cocky," the silverette pointed out, "neither did they."

_Having exited the elevator, the leader pointed at a portrait further across the armory's hall, a portrait of Akihiko Sanada, Mitsuru Kirijo, Aigis, and a few others that they hadn't met._

_-Midnight Channel-_

_The process was now underway, in just a few more hours, **Minato Arisato** would be awakened from his time of stillness. The blonde who turned her back on her friends, who turned away from reality, looked on with longing, both fearful and excited of the **boy's **return.  
_

"Sister..." Metis looked distraught.

"..." the blonde was engrossed in her study and preparation of the **boy's **body.

"Sister!" the brunette yelled.

"Hm?" the mechanical maiden looked up.

"You need to rest," the melee specialist said.

"There is no need," the blonde replied, "I upgraded my battery pack since we last met."

"Not that," the sensible one sighed, "you look stressed, so take a break, all we can do now is wait."

"I suppose you're right," Aigis agreed as she went off to a corner.

_"What has happened to you sister?" _the brunette thought to herself, _"it's as if you're possessed."_

"Metis..." the mechanical maiden said sleepily.

"Y-yes?" the Anti-Shadow Weapon was caught off guard.

"Can I trust you with watching over _him_ while I rest?" the blonde requested.

"Of course," Metis said perky, contrasting her sister's demeanor, "you know, I was always wondering what kind of guy could make my sister go through all of this for him...I'll ask you when you wake up."

_-The Journey: Once More-_

_The quartet stood in front of a wall mounted television, the senior members of SEES nearby._

"You guys ready for this?" Akihiko Sanada fixed his gloves.

"Yeah," Souji Seta replied, sword in hand.

"We're set," Naoto Shirogane continued as she checked her ammo pouch.

"I've got a lock on her," Marie said with a slightly strained voice, "she's in deep...Ten, no fifteen floors in."

"Ready when you are sensei!" the bear said ecstatically, brandishing menacing claws in both arms.

"Alright everyone," the team leader took point and set a foot in the TV, "Let's go!"

_-Midnight Laboratory, 1st Floor-_

_The air was thin and visibility was low, the Inaba Investigation Team stood close to one another to avoid getting separated._

"Back to back guys," Souji ordered the group, extending his hand to his right, "stay focused."

"Crap," Marie's eyes widened, "everyone raise your defenses, we've got hostiles incoming."

"I can smell them too," Teddie's eyes displayed a great deal of ferocity, "these guys don't have any clear weaknesses or strengths, watch out."

"I've got a bead on them," Naoto claimed as she squinted her eyes, "aiming for the head in three counts."

_With a soft click and a loud bang, the reinforced depleted uranium shell was lodged in the skull of a nearby Shadow._

"Three...Headshot!" the Detective Prince sighed, "one down."

_The Shadow did not agree, rising from its slumped state, it raised it's mecha-sized sword._

"Don't count 'em out so easily Nao-chan," the bear growled, "my turn, Bufudyne!"

_A column of ice slowly covered the injured Shadow and shattered the monster from within._

"Sure kill," Teddie smiled, "laying down some frost on the path Sensei!"

"Right," the silverette studied the remaining enemies, "eight of them nearby."

"Gotcha," Marie grinned, "darling, I'm loading the coordinates to you live, it's up to you now!"

"Understood," Souji replied as he closed his eyes to focus, "Yoshitsune!"

_With a sound not unlike shattered glass, an ancient samurai warrior appeared and began slashing in random directions._

"Hassou Tobi!"

_The silverette growled as the remaining enemies were cut to ribbons._

"Way to go Sensei!" the bear cheered before sniffing the air, "I smell something."

"Teddie's on to something, I can feel it too," Marie agreed, "a strong Shadow further ahead."

"Naoto, did the others respond?" the silverette turned to face the detective.

"Only Kanji and Chie will be able to make it, Yosuke and Yukiko are working heavy shifts today," the bluenette responded.

"Since we don't know how far the distance from the TV World is from the sticks to the city, we'll have to plan ahead," Souji pondered.

"I can sync us up, and since I already know your friends, I'll find them, no problem at all," the raven haired girl gave a sincere thumbs up.

"Good," Naoto interjected, "we'll be able to proceed, Teddie, can you tell us anything about this place?"

"Nothing I can think about that we don't already know..." the bear sniffed around, "wait, I smell something else, besides Ai-chan and her Shadow."

"Someone else?" the leader wondered, clasping his hands, "You guys think she took a hostage?"

"Unlikely," the Detective Prince answered, "she's desperate, but it doesn't fit her profile."

"An accomplice maybe?" the silverette hummed, "It would make sense."

"Only one way to find out guys," the bear pointed out, "we're almost there anyway."

_The motley crew went on, deeper into the darkness that came from within the mechanical maiden, the hope that their friends would join them in this new adventure renewed their strength to fight the invigorated horde of enemies._

_-Meanwhile-_

_The whirring of gears and the beeps of machinery woke a slumbering Aigis._

"You're up sister," Metis whispered.

"You did not wake me for this?" the blonde asked with a hint of irritation.

"He has yet to wake," the brunette countered, "no use in you getting worked up."

"Hmmm," Aigis gazed at one of the monitors, "93% completion."

"Does he always look so peaceful when he sleeps?" Metis inquired.

"It's just the way he is," the mechanical maiden smiled, remembering fondly the experiences they shared while they were SEES.

"Your lucky we're technically the same person," the brunette huffed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" the blonde looked at her sister with curiosity.

"I would steal him away from you in a heartbeat," Metis laughed, "who wouldn't want to wake up next to that every morning?"

"Metis!" Aigis growled.

"Fine," the brunette sounded a little disappointed, "we'll share him, you take his right side and I'll be by his left."

"Eh?" the blonde could no longer argue, her sister was too far off.

"Yeah, but I call date night on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays," Metis was lost in her own little world, "we'll have to share him on Sundays though, so keep your batteries charged for that."

_*Bonk*_

"Ow," the brunette rubbed her head, "what was that for?"

"He's almost waking," the mechanical maiden pointed at the monitor.

"System initializing," a synthetic voice announced, "unit start-up commencing, process will conclude in one minute."

"Oooh," Metis sounded like a child in a candy shop, "I'll bet he sounds like Simon the Digger or Sasuke from Naruto."

"I don't even want to know," the blonde said as she facepalmed.

_The complex set-up began lighting up, all systems were lighting green, the locks to the restraints were being released and the focus of attention was slowly coming to._

"M-Minato, are you alright?" Aigis rushed to the boy's side, blushing all the way.

"Ai-Aigis?" the mechanical man rubbed his eyes, "I-I'm alive?"

_-End-_


End file.
